Receptacle closure



Sept. 11, 1928. 1,684,214

- F. c. CLEMENT RECEPTACLE CLOSURE Filed Feb. 5, 1926 INVENTOR: FredarzLcK (ZCZemQnZ WITNESSES 6Q BY Patented Sept. 11, 1928.

W UNITEDSTATES rnnnnnrox c. CLEMENT, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RECEPTACLE CLOSURE.

Application filed February This invention relates to closures more particularly useful with food or beverage receptacles, such, for example, as bottles or flasks, decanters, jars, etc.

The main purpose of my invention is to secure in connection with closures of the type referred to, capacity for easy placement and removal without sacrifice of effective fluid-tightness against contamination of the receptacle contents due to extraneous conditions, or evaporation from within.

A further object is to attain the foregoing advantages in a closure that is proof against germination. easily cleaned, and capable of readily withstanding sterilization without injurious effects.

I'Vith reference to the drawings, Fig. I is an elevation of a thermo-insulated decanter flask with the neck partly broken away and in section to show the manner in which a closure of my invention is applied.

Fig. II is an inverted plan view of the closure on a somewhat larger scale; and,

Fig. III is an axial sectional view of the same taken as indicated by the arrows IIIIII in Fig. II.

In the embodiment chosen for illustration herein, my improved closure has the form a stopper characterized by a longitudinally divided tubular body portion 5 which is adapted to engage within the neck of the flask. a cap piece 6 affording a circumferential flange to overhang the mouth of said flask, and a grasp member or finger knob 7; all of which are constructed of non-corrosive material, preferably metal, and arranged in coaxial relation as shown. The body portion 5 is fashioned from a single strip of springy sheet metal to slightly tapered cylindric configuration, with the lateral ends of the sheet in overlapping contact l0ngitudinally, as indicated at 8 in Figs. I and II. By virtue of this construction, the body portion 5 is rendered circumferentially eX- tcnsible for capacity to adapt itself to the flask outlet with a snug though yielding fit.

As a means to augment the contractile resistivity of the body portion 5particularly at its top-so that the mouth of the flask is engaged with greater firmness, I employ a supplemental element 9, conveniently formed from a piece of spring wire with a central eye 10 and symmetrically disposed flanking arms 11. These arms 11 are complementarily rounded or bowed to coincide with the interior curvature of the body portion 5, and

5,19%. Serial No. 86,119.

are permanently secured to the latter flush s with its upper edge by welding or soldering.

The cap piece 6 may be a stamped sheet metal disk with an axial aperture for passage of a screw 12 that engages through the central eye 10 of the element 9 and takes axially into the finger knob 7 thereby securing the component parts of the device together. It is to be particularly noted that the element 9 functions as a coupling between the body portion 5 and the other parts of the closure, the connection being such that the entire surface of said body portion is adapted for resistive compression circumferentially. For greater security after assembling, the head of the screw 12, and the eye 10 of the element 9 are soldered or welded to the contiguous central portion of the cap piece 6. I

In applying the closure, it will be apparcut that the free lower end of the body portion 5 yields readily under its inherent s 'xringiness as it is introduced into the neck of the flask but with continued advance of said body portion, the influence of the spring element 9 progressively effective in increasing the resistivity to circumferential contraction. Consequently, when the closure finally comes to a stop with the cap piece 6 resting open or over the flask mouth, a very firm and substantially fluid-tight engagement obtains between the circumferential rface of the body portion 5 and the interior surface of the flask outlet neck.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. A receptacle closure comprising a longitudinally-divided tubular body member of springy material, a grasp member, and a resilient member medially connected co-axially of the grasp member having opposed complementary-shaped free arms that are rigidly secured to the body member at its top, whereby freedom for gradual increasing resistivity to contraction is afforded the body member when engaging thewall of the receptacle opening.

2. A receptacle closure comprising a longitudinally-divided tubular body portion, a member, and an element rigidly secured to the grasp member, said element embodying opposed complementary curved spring arms rigidly attached attheir free ends to the top of said body portion with capacity to permit circumferential expansion of said body portion and-contrariwise-43b gradually" :mgment the resistivity to contraction in engaging the wall of the receptacle opening.

3. A receptacle; closure comprising a-longi 6 tudinally-divicled tapering-tubular body portion; a grasp member; and an element having a central eye secured axially to the grasp member with complementary bowed spring arms Jermanently attached flush with 1 the upper eilge of the body portion from Within ;1 said' element thereby ermitting yielding circumferential extensibility of said body portion and, contrariwise, gradu- 

